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Be Wary of Gero Vita, A. Glenn Braswell,
and Braswell's 'Journal' of Longevity
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Almon Glenn Braswell (1943-2006) sold pills and potions through the mail. He probably took in more money and more people than any similar marketer in U.S. history. This article details what he did, looks at connections he had with prominent politicians, and describes some of the actions law enforcement took against him.
Most of Braswell's marketing was done under the name Gero Vita International, which offered a large line of "dietary supplements" from its Web site and by mail. Its brochures described the company as "specialists in ailment-targeted natural formulas." In 1988, the company and its sister corporations began blanketing the country with mailings under various names and addresses in the United States and Canada. Over the years, I have collected solicitations ostensibly from Gero Vita Laboratories, Life Force Laboratories, Vita Industries, Health Quest Publications, Rein Anton, MD, PhD, James F. Balch Jr, MD, Hyla Cass, MD, Benjamin Friedrich, MD, Jay Gordon, MD, and Joseph D. Weissman, MD. Although many of the solicitations had a Canadian return address, all of the products were packaged and shipped from within the United States.
The late Ted Ponich, who was G.B. Data's chief operating officer from 1997 through 1998, believed that Gero Vita was the biggest direct marketer of health products in the United States, with 20 million mailings per month and 1998 sales of about about $170 million [1]. A 2000 ad for a sales director stated that G.B. Data Systems was grossing $250 million annually. The products contained vitamins, minerals, herbs, and/or other supplement ingredients that are promoted with claims related to allergies, prostate trouble, arthritis, digestive disorders, blood sugar balance, bone and joint health, memory, vascular health, "detoxification," weight management, immune support, anti-aging, sexual enhancement, and much more.
Purchase of any product entitled the buyer to a free one-year subscription (available separately for $39.95) to the Journal of Longevity (previously called the Journal of Longevity Research), a monthly magazine that Braswell published. The magazine's advisory board included several well-known promoters of quackery. Each issue contained articles suggesting that many diseases are caused by nutrient shortages and that various substances are therapeutic. Products containing these supplements could be obtained by calling a toll-free number or submitting an order form located in the magazine.
Some of the products may have had some effectiveness (though overpriced), but most were promoted with misleading claims. Evaluation of the individual products was difficult because their ingredients were not listed in the ads, but it is clear that many of the advertised claims went far beyond what was possible. One brochure for its product "Prostata," for example, claimed that (a) prostate enlargement can be treated successfully with zinc supplements; (b) the side effects of drugs prescribed to shrink the prostate are almost as bad as the prostate disorder itself; (c) saw palmetto, in addition to relieving prostate symptoms, might also be an aphrodisiac; (d) another herbal ingredient reduced enlarged prostate problems in "as high as 66% of cases" and has no significant side effects; (e) it is important to take Prostata "before it is too late." The last page of the brochure contained pictures of six movie stars, three prominent athletes, and a former chief executive officer of Time Warner, who either "waited too long and died from prostate problems!" or "waited too long and are suffering." Some in the latter group sued Braswell for misrepresentation and for improperly using their name and picture for marketing purposes.
Another product, Gero-Vita GH3, was said to be an anti-aging formula based on the work of Anna Aslan, a Romanian physician who developed Gerovital H3, an injectable product she claimed was "the secret of eternal vigor and youth." Its principal ingredient was procaine, a local anesthetic. Although many uncontrolled studies have reported great benefits from the use of GH3, controlled trials have failed to demonstrate any improvement in elderly patients. Noting that para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and diethylaminoethanol (DMAE) appear in the urine of people receiving procaine injections, a few American manufacturers have been selling procaine tablets containing PABA and/or DMAE with false claims similar to those made for GH3. The FDA has taken regulatory action against several companies marketing "GH3" products, but other brands still are marketed.
Braswell's Gero-Vita GH3 formula contained PABA, DMAE, and several vitamins and minerals. A Gero Vita brochure—"Stop the Clock! Scientists Say: You Can Live 20% Longer and Healthier!"—contained 35 testimonials that Gero-Vita GH3 relieved arthritis, caused leg swelling to disappear, improved sex life, lowered blood pressure, turned hair darker, improved memory, softened skin, sped healing, relieved back pain, improved endurance, stabilized growth of a cataract, and made people look much younger. However, there is no reason to believe that any ingredient in the product could produce any of these effects.
For several years, Braswell's Vita Industries sent solicitations for Gero-Vita GH3 that resembled an ordinary large, two-sided newspaper page with a "handwritten" note addressing the recipient by first name and "signed" with someone's initial. (One in my files, for example, stated: "Dear Dorothy, You've got to try this. It works! J.") Ads of this type are designed to make the recipient think they come from someone they know. However, recipients might also be upset by the thought that the sender thinks they look too old.
In 1992, the Iowa Attorney General obtained a consent decree and injunction barring Vita Industries from promoting, selling, or advertising any drug or nutritional product that had not been shown to be safe and effective by at least two well-designed scientific studies and is generally recognized as safe and effective for its intended purpose. The company was also assessed $25,000 and ordered to make full refunds to any consumer who complained within 30 days after the order was issued. It was also barred from marketing its products in Iowa [2]. Later that year, after it sent solicitations to an investigator from the Attorney General's office, the company signed a second consent agreement to pay $6,000 to the state's Elderly Fund [3]
In 1995, the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. announced that Gero Vita International had failed to substantiate advertising for a GH3 Anti-Aging Pill, which had claimed:
- "New Anti-Aging Pill Stops Aches, Pains, Fatigue, Depression, Improves Memory, Skin Tone and Sex Drive!"
- "Grey Hair Gone!"
- "Reduces Chance of Heart Attack by 83%!"
- "People Taking Gero H3 Lived 29% Longer!" [4]
In 1995, the FDA banned the importation of all of Gero Vita's products marketed with claims that they can prevent or treat disease. In 1997, the ban was extended to cover Life Force Laboratories [5]. The ban was set up because many of the mailings used a Canadian ordering address for Gero Vita Laboratories, which suggested that the company was located in Canada. The ban was not effective, however, because the Canadian locations simply forwarded the orders, which were filled from within the United States.
Gero Vita also invited doctors to join its Medi-Plex Physicians Nutrition Network, which would enable them to buy its products at 40% to 50% discounts for resale to their patients.
One reason for Braswell's commercial success was his association with health professionals whom he listed as advisors and/or authors of articles in his publications. Some of them were also quoted with their picture in his advertising brochures. A 1999 brochure stated that the chairman of Gero Vita's medical advisory board was Murray Susser, MD, who practiced in California. In 1995, Susser was charged with unprofessional conduct, gross negligence, incompetence, repeated negligent acts, and excessive use of diagnostic procedures. The complaint charged that he had failed to diagnose gallstones in one patient and colon cancer in two others. In each case, he ordered inappropriate tests, failed to order appropriate tests, and prescribed vitamins and other inappropriate treatment. In 1997, Susser signed a stipulated settlement under which he paid $15,000 for costs and served three years on probation [6,7]. In January 1998, he surrendered his New York State medical license without contesting that he had been disciplined by the Medical Board of California for gross negligence and incompetence. Another Gero Vita advisor, James R. Privitera, MD, was convicted in 1975 of conspiring to prescribe and distribute laetrile (a quack cancer remedy) and was sentenced to six months in prison. In 1980, after the appeals process ended, he served 55 days in jail but was released after being pardoned by California Governor Jerry Brown. Privitera was sanctioned by California's licensing board. Others listed as Medi-Plex advisory board members have included: Hans J. Kugler, PhD; Douglas Hunt, PhD, Yuguo Ni, LicAc; Ilona Abraham, MD; Ronald DiSalvo, PhD, Joseph Weissman, MD; Paul Yutsis, PhD; Donald C. Thompson, MD, DPh; Carol Uebelacker, MD; Ronald Lawrence, MD, PhD; Gary S. Ross, MD; and Daniel Mowrey, PhD. For more details about Braswell's advisors, click here.
Background History
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Braswell marketed many products claimed to cure baldness, enlarge the female breast, delay the aging process, cause weight loss, remove "cellulite," and improve the growth and appearance of fingernails. Anyone who purchased at least $9.50 worth of the products was given a free 18-month subscription to Body Forum, a magazine filled with ads and supportive editorial content—the same set-up used for the Journal of Longevity.
Braswell holds the record as the person against whom the Postal Service filed the largest number of health-related false representation complaints. As a Postal Service official summarized at a Congressional hearing in 1984:
One hundred and thirty-eight false representation complaints were filed against 50 different medical-cosmetic products marketed by Braswell, Inc., through a multitude of addresses in Atlanta, GA and Fort Lauderdale, FL. These cases were concluded through 32 false representation orders and 15 consent agreements. . . . Evidence in one case revealed that Braswell received over $2 million for a worthless baldness cure in one six-month period. Mr. Braswell pled guilty to mail fraud charges involving the faking of before and after advertising photographs purportedly revealing the results of bust developer, hair growth and cosmetic products, and was sentenced to five years' probation. He was also sentenced to a three-year prison term for Federal income tax evasion and perjury charges developed during our mail fraud investigation [8].
At the hearing, Braswell said his corporations had probably grossed over $75 million in 12 years.
This ad, which appeared in the August 1980 issue of Body Forum, was one of many he used to market vitamin tablets and lotions as baldness remedies. The ad falsely claimed that hereditary baldness was caused by nutritional shortages and could be halted by a hair lotion called Biogenesis. The ad featured pictures that supposedly represented the appearance of a man's scalp before and after using the product.
Male-pattern baldness is responsible for 95% of all hair loss in men and also occurs in women. Although a specific cause cannot be identified, it is probably related to hereditary factors (especially among Caucasians), an excess of male hormones (androgens) such as testosterone, and possibly attacks on scalp hair follicles by the body's immune system. Nutritional deficiencies are not a factor, and there is no reason to believe that Braswell's lotion stimulated hair growth. Although the ad claimed that European doctors had reported an 80% success rate in experiments, medical experts who investigated this claim concluded that the studies did not provide sufficient basis for such a claim [9].
The Administrative Law Judge decisions against Braswell and his former companies are posted in full on the U.S. Postal Service Web site. To access them, search for "Cosvetic" ""Peak Labs," " Earthquest," "Standard Research," "Vangault Labs," or "Quest Research."
In 1983, Braswell and his companies settled FTC charges that they did not have adequate scientific evidence that their hair-loss products worked and and that they had not paid refunds as promised to their customers. Under a court-approved agreement, the parties agreed to pay $610,000 in penalties and were permanently barred from making performance or efficacy claims for any product or service without reliable scientific evidence to substantiate the claim [10].
Curiously, Biogenesis and several of Braswell's other products are still being marketed today. In 2001, an article on the Club Head Start Web site stated that when Braswell ceased operations in 1983, Vitamin Products International was formed "to take over ongoing operation of the business."
Political Connections
Braswell had connections to George W. Bush and George's brother Jeb Bush, when he was Governor of Florida. Braswell and his companies have donated a total of at least $220,000 to their campaigns and to the Republican Party:
|A. Glenn Braswell
|National Republican Senatorial Committee [11]
|A. Glenn Braswell
|George W. Bush Campaign Committee [12]
|A. Glenn Braswell
|Republican Party of Florida (Federal Account) [11]
|A. Glenn Braswell
|State Committee, Republican Party of Florida [13]
|G.B. Data Systems
|Republican National Committee [14]
|G.B. Data Systems
|Republican Party of Florida [11]
The July 2000 issue of the Journal of Longevity contained an article by Jeb accompanied by a picture of him and George. The article stated (in part):
With the November elections fast approaching, healthcare is a top-priority issue facing candidates and voters. . . .
I have always paid close attention to the needs of seniors and their impact on policy reform. My brother, George W., also has maintained a strong focus on these seasoned veterans and their needs. And what need could be more important than health? However, today's health scene bristles with perplexing problems: inadequate insurance coverage, the soaring cost of prescription drugs, and the many restrictions of managed care.
One of the most important issues that both my brother and I believe will become even more critical due to this senior boom is integrative medicine. . . . I see it as combining the best elements of two worlds: the best of conventional medicine, with its lifesaving drugs and surgical procedures, and the best of alternative medicine, with its natural approaches to chronic diseases.
I can see this integration of the two sides of medicine already taking place, Driving the new partnership is the growing demand for therapies and nutrients that are safe and without side effects. . . . Further, a number of healthcare providers have found these therapies very cost-effective. More and more insurance companies are covering acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathic, massage therapy, traditional Chinese medicine, and other modalities.
To reinforce the process of change, I would stress the importance of prevention. I advocate preventive measures to maintain wellness, such as regular checkups, screening tests for early detection, public programs to help promote healthy lifestyles, and more effective guidance for dealing with chronic health problems. Prevention also is founded on proper nutrition to maintain wellness and avoid disease, thereby extending life span. This means our seniors should have access to a full array of nutrients: the vitamins and minerals that tend to become depleted with age as well as the herbs and other natural substances that can relieve chronic disorders [15].
How did Jeb Bush's article wind up in Braswell's magazine? Bush's representatives told investigators from Newsweek and the St. Petersburg Times that the article they had submitted had been altered without their knowledge or consent [17,18]. But conflicting accounts emerged:
- The Times reported that Bush's policy advisers said they had received a call urging them to do the article from Ann Herberger, a Miami woman who is in charge of raising money for George W. Bush's presidential campaign. Herberger also served as finance director for Jeb Bush's campaign for governor in 1998 and headed up inaugural plans. Jeb's policy staff prepared the article after talking with the magazine's editor [17].
- Journal of Longevity editor Ron Tepper told a Newsweek reporter that Braswell had sought the article because both Jeb and his brother, George W. Bush, appeared "sympathetic to alternative medicine." Tepper said that one of his staff members prepared a draft that was given to Jeb's aids for approval [18].
The investigators also reported:
- In South Carolina, three famous sports figures, Richard Petty, Stan Musial, and Len Dawson, have filed suit in federal court against Braswell and Gero Vita for misusing their names in advertisements for Prostata. The lawsuits, filed in 1997 by Charleston lawyers E. Vernon Glenn and Gedney M. Howe III, involve advertisements that identify the three sports figures among a group of men who "waited too long and are suffering" from prostate problems. The lawsuits accused Braswell, the magazine, and his companies of defamation, invasion of privacy, unfair trade practices, and intentionally inflicting emotional distress [17].
- In 1984, while serving his federal prison sentence, Braswell entered a "no contest" plea to a grand theft charge stemming from a burglary arrest at a home he was renting to a former employee in Fort Lauderdale. He was put on probation for two years to run concurrently with his federal sentence [17].
- Court records show that federal prosecutors in Los Angeles had opened a criminal investigation with the IRS into some of Braswell's companies, including allegations involving the "transfer of funds" from G.B. Data to "off-shore accounts." According to the documents, prosecutors said they were also investigating allegations involving an off-shore trading company and alleged efforts by Braswell and his employees "to conceal documents" from the government [18].
The resultant mini-scandal apparently had some effect. The day following the above reports Republican Party officials decided to return $175,000 of the contributions. They also said that—as a result of inquiries made by the Times reporter—they had determined to return $100,000 check Braswell gave at a South Florida fundraiser for George W. Bush [19].
The Pardon Scandal and Further Trouble
On his last day as President of the United States, Bill Clinton included Braswell among the 140 felons whom he pardoned. (The pardon was for Braswell's 1983 conviction.) Pardons normally require demonstrated good conduct for a substantial period of time after the criminal sentence is completed. Braswell's longstanding mail-order scams hardly fit that description. Many major news outlets reported that he was under investigation by the FDA, FTC, Internal Revenue Service, and several state attorneys general and that a federal grand jury in Los Angeles was investigating him for money laundering and tax evasion [20].
As the scandal broke, dozens of reporters began trying to understand why Clinton pardoned Braswell. It turned out that the attorney who actually delivered the pardon application was Hillary Rodham Clinton's brother Hugh Rodham, who was promised payment of $200,000 if the pardon was granted. Bill Clinton stated that he was unaware of Braswell's pending legal troubles, and both Bill and Hillary Clinton denied knowing that Hugh Rodham was advocating for Braswell.
Ironically, the pardon may have served a useful purpose by causing regulatory agencies to give higher priority to Braswell's illegal activities. In 2001, the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing that focused on Braswell and his misdeeds [21]. The hearing included testimony from a former business associate [22] and from an attorney who had sued Braswell on behalf of several clients [23]. In 2003, the FTC charged Braswell, four corporations, and Ron Tepper with false advertising [25]. In 2004, after having pleaded guilty to tax evasion and paid more than $10 million in back taxes, penalties and interest [26], Braswell was sentenced to 18 months in prison. A few weeks later, the FTC amended its civil complaint to add Drs. Lawrence and Kugler as defendants [27]. in June 2005, the corporations, Tepper, and Lawrence settled the charges against them by agreeing to pay a total of $605,000 and to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims for products in the future [28]. In October, Kugler agreed to pay $15,000 and to refrain from making future endorsements that are not based on competent evidence or within his represented areas of expertise [29].
In December 2005, Braswell signed a stipulation under which he:
- Would pay $1 million and turn over assets worth $3.5 million to settle the FTC's charges
- Could not market or help others in the direct-response marketing of any food, dietary supplement, or drug, for which a health benefit is claimed directly or by implication (except for FDA-approved product claims)
- Was prohibited from making false or unsubstantiated claims for all health-related products and services [30].
In January 2006, Chase Revel, who created some of the ads, agreed to pay $27,500 for consumer redress and to post a $1 million performance bond before advertising, marketing, or selling any food, drug, dietary supplement, device, or health-related service [31]. Gero Vita continued to market many of the products, but Braswell no longer owned it and the claims made for the products were toned down.
Braswell died on October 26, 2006. It would be interesting to know why the FDA, the FTC, and the U.S. Postal Service did not try to stop his illegal activities sooner.
For Further Information
- Braswell's Advisory Board
- Indictments:
- More about Mail-Order Quackery
- Fefer MD. Quack in my box. Seattle Weekly, Jan 6-12, 2000.
- Consent decree. State of Iowa v Vita Industries, Equity No. CE38-22469, Jan 21, 1992.
- Second consent decree. State of Iowa v Vita Industries, Equity No. CE38-22469, Sept 23, 1992.
- NAD requests discontinuance of advertising for anti-aging pill. News release, Council of Better Business Bureaus, June 2, 1995.
- FDA Import Alert #66-441. Unapproved new drugs promoted in the U.S. Revised attachment, 3/19/99.
- First amended and supplemental accusation. In the matter of the accusation against Murray Susser, MD. Case No. 07-92-16339, Jan 18, 1996.
- Stipulated settlement and disciplinary order. In the matter of the accusation against Murray Susser, MD. Case No. 07-92-16339, OAH No. L-9601259, Feb 18, 1997.
- Nelson CP. Statement presented on May 31, 1984 to the United States House of Representatives, Select Committee on Aging, Subcommittee on Health and Long-term Care. In Quackery: A $10 Billion Scandal. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1984, pages 137-138..
- In the matter of the complaint against Cosvetic Laboratories, et al. or any variation thereof at P. O. Boxes 95543, 95544 and 95545, Atlanta, GA 30347, etc. Postal Service Docket No. 8/160, July 22, 1982.
- Braswell prohibited permanently from advertising baldness "cures" without FDA approval of product, under Federal Trade Commission Consent Judgment. FTC News Notes, Oct 4, 1983.
- Baldauf S. Bush donors wear big hat, give big money. In free-for-all world of Texas fund-raising, his backers came from largest industries. Christian Science Monitor, Jan 25, 2000.
- George W. Bush Campaign Contribution Database (search Braswell/Miami/FL)
- FECInfo Database (Site no longer online).
- Florida Department of State Division of Elections Database
- Soft Money Update, Dec 30, 1999. FECInfo Web site, accessed 8/7/00.
- Bush J. Bush —A healthy future for our seniors. Journal of Longevity 6(7):11, 2000.
- Isikoff M. The Bush family and the medicine man. Newsweek Web, Sept 29, 2000.
- Morgan L. Bush brothers pop up in potion peddler's magazine: Gov Jeb Bush bylined article for the journal about alternative medicine after a fundraiser by the owner, who's also a felon. St. Petersburg Times Online, Sept 29, 2000.
- Morgan L. Bush, GOP return felon's funds. The Texas governor's campaign said it didn't know about Braswell's criminal past. St. Petersburg Times Online, Sept 30, 2000.
- Pasternack D. Another dubious pardon: Why did Clinton forgive a felon under fresh investigation? U.S. News & World Report, Feb 12, 2001.
- Swindlers, hucksters and snake oil salesmen: The hype and hope of marketing anti-aging products to seniors. U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. Sept 10, 2001.
- Testimony of Mike O'Neil, former chief financial officer, GB Data Systems. U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, Sept10, 2001.
- Testimony of E. Vernon F. Glenn, Esq. U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, Sept10, 2001.
- Owner of California dietary supplement company arrested at Florida home on federal charges of evading payment of millions in income taxes. U.S. Dept. of Justice press release, Jan 14, 2003.
- A. Glenn Braswell's dietary supplement enterprise targeted: FTC challenges false and unsubstantiated claims. FTC news release, May 27, 2003
- Former owner of California dietary supplement company pleads guilty in federal tax fraud conspiracy. USDOJ news release, March 2, 2004.
- First amended complaint. FTC vs. Braswell et al. U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Case No. CV 03-3700 DT (PJWx), filed March 31, 2004.
- Supplement marketers settle FTC charges. FTC news release, June 8, 2005.
- Settlement agreement and final order as to Hans Kugler. U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Case No. CV 03-3700 DT (PJWx). Order filed Oct 19, 2005.
- Stipulated final order for permanent injunction and settlement of claims for monetary relief as to A. Glenn Braswell. FTC vs Braswell et al. U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Case No. CV 03-3700 DT (PJWx). Order filed Dec 28, 2005.
- Dietary Supplement ad creator settles FTC charges: Now required to post a million-dollar performance bond. FTC news release, Jan 30, 2006.
This article was revised on July 14, 2018.


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Morgan State University confirmed the death of 18-year old defensive lineman Marquese Meadow Sunday.
Two weeks ago, Meadow was taken to the hospital after he collapsed during a workout.
"He became disoriented during practice and the trainer called paramedics who initially transported him to Good Samaritan Hospital and then to (Johns Hopkins Hospital)," Clinton Coleman, director of public relations and communications at Morgan State, told the Baltimore Sun.
Meadow, a Washington D.C. native, is survived by his parents, Benita and Kevin Meadow.
Prior to joining Morgan State, Marqueze Meadow was recruited by the Akron Zips, Eastern Michigan Eagles, Maryland Terrapins and Tennessee Volunteers. The defensive lineman was recruit to Maryland by Terrapins offensive coordinator Mike Locksley.
My prayers go out to the Friendship and Morgan St football families for the loss of a great person and player Marquese Meadow.
— Michael Locksley (@Coachlocks) August 24, 2014
CFT would also like to express its condolences to Meadow's family.
(Photo courtesy of the Morgan State athletic department)

subset: commoncrawl


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Sovereign Bank gift will support international initiatives at Princeton
Sovereign Bank, part of Banco Santander, has signed a three-year funding agreement with Princeton University to support international scholarly initiatives.
The gift from Sovereign Bank will support existing programs that enable Princeton faculty and students to engage in a variety of educational experiences with institutions and scholars from around the globe.
"If students wish to participate fully in today's rapidly globalizing world, they need to immerse themselves in the study of other cultures and societies," said Princeton Provost Christopher Eisgruber. "This gift supports Princeton's commitment to provide students with a global perspective and to create collaborative networks that connect students and faculty with peers throughout the world. I am delighted that the support of Sovereign Bank and Banco Santander will facilitate exchanges that will extend Princeton's scholarly energy and educational initiatives into a wide array of international venues."
Banco Santander Chairman Emilio Botín said "We are proud to announce our support for Princeton University for programs that will enrich the lives of students academically and culturally, providing a global perspective that will enable them to impact the world beyond their local communities." He added, "Fostering academic excellence through international collaboration, innovation, creative learning and research is a keystone of Santander's corporate social responsibility initiatives."
Effective immediately, the agreement will support:
- Princeton's Global Collaborative Networks, which are international scholarly networks between Princeton and centers of learning around the world. The program aims to build and sustain scholarly collaborations that promote career development in an international context for Princeton scholars at all levels. The program is administered by the Council for International Teaching and Research.
- Undergraduate student learning programs abroad administered through the Office of International Programs, which is Princeton's primary resource for undergraduates seeking to gain international experiences.
- Global Seminars, an initiative that provides undergraduates with an opportunity to study abroad in the country and city at the heart of the seminar's subject matter. Led by Princeton faculty and instructors from the host university and other local institutions, the program is administered by the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies.
- The Visiting Student Research Collaborators, a program providing visiting international graduate students with the opportunity to participate in faculty-supervised research at Princeton. The program is administered by the Graduate School.
"These initiatives allow Princeton students and scholars to connect and collaborate with their counterparts around the world," said Jeremy Adelman, director of Princeton's Council for International Teaching and Research. "Through this gift, Princeton will be able to host foreign scholars in our labs and seminar rooms, allowing us to work with emerging talent from other parts of the world. The support for Global Seminars will also enable us to expand this increasingly popular opportunity for Princeton students to expand their intellectual horizons on a global scale. More and more students and faculty are clamoring for precisely these kinds of opportunities, so we are grateful for Sovereign Bank 's vision and commitment to international learning."
Banco Santander, based in Madrid, Spain, is one of the world's largest banks. The gift to Princeton is supported by the company's Santander Universities Global Division, which through local affiliates such as Sovereign Bank has forged long-term partnerships with more than 900 universities around the world.
The gift, which supports Princeton's ongoing efforts to enhance its global presence, builds upon a series of international initiatives outlined by President Shirley M. Tilghman and Eisgruber in fall 2007.


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Pentax has got ahead of the game by announcing two low-end digital cameras in the run-up to CES - showing off the Optio P70 and the Optio E70.
Priced at $200 (£137) and $130 (£90) respectively expect the features to include face recognition and a new 'Pixel Track' shake reduction.
The Pentax Option P70 is a 12MP camera with a 720p video function to boot – and it also boasts 4x zoom, 28mm lens and 2.7-inch LCD screen.
Low-end E70
The cheaper E70 is a 10MP snapper with a slightly-bigger-than-stamp sized 2.4-inch screen and, judging by Pentax's use of words like 'easy-to-use' and 'affordable' is aimed squarely at camera 'noobs'.
No further information is forthcoming on UK launch or pricing, but we'll keep you updated.


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February 1, 2012
Contact: Laura Kruger, (212) 824-2218, email@example.com
Max Ferguson - Painting My Father
April 16 – June 29, 2012
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Museum in New York is pleased to announce the thirteenth solo exhibition of Jewish painter Max Ferguson, Painting My Father.
The exhibition is on view from April 16 - June 29, 2012 with an Artists' Reception on Tuesday, May 8 from 6 – 8:30 pm. Please RSVP: email@example.com or 212-824-2298. Photo ID required.
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Museum is located at One West Fourth Street in New York. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 9am-5pm and Friday 9am-3pm.
"Despite spending so much time in Jerusalem, I continue to paint primarily New York-themed imagery," says painter Ferguson, who divides his time between New York and Jerusalem. "I don't want anyone ever saying about me Oh, I didn't know he was Jewish. With my Ellis Island name, people often assume I am not." His work is essentially autobiographical, with his father and himself being his most frequent models. It is his father who is the focus of this exhibition, showing thirty paintings he has done of him over a thirty year period, coinciding with what would have been his father's 100th birthday. His paintings, at once timely and personal; timeless and universal, capture the tones and moods of a rapidly changing New York. His concentrating on images associated with an older New York (Coney Island, mom-and-pop shops, etc.), stems not so much from nostalgia, as it does from a desire to capture things while they are still here. Many of the subjects he has painted have already gone the way of the wrecking ball, or been renovated beyond recognition. Max Ferguson has worked on a number of series including Coney Island, Jewish imagery, and people in the subway.
His wife and their three children were all born in Jerusalem, and he has had his paintings exhibited at the Israel Museum.
Ferguson learned the discipline for his meticulously rendered paintings while doing animated films as a teenager, graduating from New York University film school in 1980. But it was while spending a year at an art school in Amsterdam that his interest switched to painting. He developed an enduring admiration for Dutch seventeenth-century painters and has sought to integrate their concern for craftsmanship with contemporary urban realism. As Ferguson says, "For me, the ideal artistic marriage would be Vermeer and Hopper."
Ferguson is also known for the backs of his paintings, a unique hybrid of open diary, scrapbook, and messages in a bottle.
His works are in many prominent public and private collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, The British Museum, The Museum of the City of New York, and Yeshiva University Museum.
In conjunction with this exhibition, curated by Laura Kruger, a fully illustrated 32 page catalogue is being published, with an introduction by noted art historian, Gail Levin.
For reproduction information, please contact Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Museum or The Bridgeman Art Library.


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Allen Iverson Interview With Stephen A. Smith! (Talks About Joining The Pistons)
Allen Iverson sits down with Stephen A. Smith. Courtesy of ESPN
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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Transcoders and HTTPS
Transcoders and server based browser break https end-to-end security. This is a huge issue and one that is central to the future of mobile services like online banking, shopping, and payments on mobile devices. Can the W3C find a solution that is secure and acceptable to all parties? Continue reading


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Due to current health and safety measures, all wineries are accepting visitors by appointment only
ARNS is located below Howell Mt. and above Meadowood County Club. We are the third owners of our property which was homesteaded in the late 1880's. The estate is 160 total acres but we only have 11 planted acres of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Our oldest vines are around 36+ years old. Our soils are very deep, well drained, Aiken series. Our winery was built in the mid-1980's. Our grapes were sold in the early days to Spring Mt., Dunn Vnyds, Cuvaison and Martin Ray. Today, our small winery houses aging 2014/2015 wines in 80% New French Oak barrels. Our wines are estate grown which means they are grown, produced and bottled on the property. We farm our land/vines organically. Our wines see 2+ years of barrel aging and are bottled with a mobile bottling line and held in our warehouse for two years before release. John Arns is our viticuluralist and Sandi Belcher is our winemaker. Together they bring many years of vinegrowing and winemaking experience here in California and abroad. Our best (and only employee) is Kathi B. Tyler, our assistant winemaker who shares our goal to make the best wine our vineyards have to offer. Arns makes long term aging Cabernets that has received great reviews locally and afar. Our quality is in the glass.
Plan a trip to ARNS on our interactive winery map:
Family Friendly Winery
Walk the vineyards and learn about pruning methods and cultivation practices. We have a scenic view of the western hills. Children usually find their own way of playing.
Very Small
Tasting with the winemaker on the crush pad.View from Tasting Room: Scenic View
The offer listed below is valid for all Napa Valley residents age 21 and over.
We offer 10% discount for Napa Valley residents and 30% discount to those who are industry related.
Once a year the rarest new Napa Valley wines become available under one roof at Premiere Napa Valley. Wineries throughout the Napa Valley are given one task to participate: create a one-of-a-kind wine for this event to be purchased by one lucky bidder. This event is only open to select members of the wine trade and the successful bidder is the sole owner of this unique wine.
Cases: 10
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2009
Release Date: April - 2012
Appellation: Napa Valley
To purchase this wine or check on availability contact:
Wine Spectrum
Santa Rosa CA


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Which Mac mini to Buy (and Where to Buy It)
- Which Mac mini for You?
- Where to Buy Your Mac mini
This chapter is primarily for readers who have not yet purchased a Mac mini. Yes, there are only two models to choose from, but there are still a handful of choices to make about specific components you should buy.
As you read this chapter, you will learn:
- How to select the Mac mini that's right for you.
- The best place to buy a Mac mini.
In the next few pages, I describe the two Mac mini models and all the options available from Apple to help you decide what's best for your needs.
Which Mac mini you purchase should reflect your needs balanced against your circumstances. My recommendation is to buy as much Mac mini as you can afford. You can add accessories later, but making changes to the basic system should be avoided.
The only easily user-upgradeable part in your Mac mini is the memory. The Mac mini has a single slot, and when you upgrade, you must remove the old memory. This will leave you with a 256 MB or—worse—a 512 MB memory module that you can't use and eBay may not want. You can add a USB Bluetooth device later, but it will use a precious USB port. Self-installation of the AirPort Extreme card, easily accomplished in other Macs, is not recommended in the cramped confines of the Mac mini.
Which Mac mini for You?
As I write this, Apple offers the Mac mini in two models:
- 1.25 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 40 GB hard drive, $499
- 1.42 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 80 GB hard drive, $599
Both models come with 256 MB of RAM.
At first, I was reluctant to recommend the $499 model to anyone, but I just checked and found that my still-quite-usable PowerBook G4 Titanium has only a 667 MHz processor and a 30 GB 4200 RPM hard drive. Compared to the TiBook, as the model was called, the low-end Mac mini measures up quite well—except in one area: The TiBook has 512 MB of RAM, which I consider the minimum amount of memory any Macintosh should have—including the Mac mini.
Still, developers are always demanding higher performance, and the $599 Mac mini delivers. The difference in processor speed was quite noticeable in testing done by MacAddict magazine. Also, the larger hard drive will come in handy if you want to build a music library, digital photo collection, or both.
And if you have any interest in editing home movies on the Mac mini, you'll need all the speed and drive space you can get.
As for memory, MacAddict tested its Mac minis with an extra 256 MB installed, bringing the machine up to a respectable 512 MB of RAM. I don't know of any serious Mac user—regardless of model—who is running with only 256 MB.
My recommendation: If you can afford the extra $100, buy the $599 model. I also recommend adding 256 MB of memory, for a total of 512 MB. That will add $75 to the bill. If I could only afford $599, I'd still buy that model and add the memory later.
How much memory?
A stock Mac mini comes with 256 MB of memory. Yes, the machine will run on that amount, but it won't run well, and you will be limited in the number of applications that you can have open simultaneously. This is a bigger issue than most people realize since people often have e-mail, instant messaging, iTunes, and other programs running in the background, where they aren't seen but still use processor cycles.
Adding another 256 MB of RAM improves the situation greatly. Apple charges $75 for the upgrade, which involves removing the 256 MB module that comes with the Mac mini and replacing it with a 512 MB module.
If you buy your Mac mini with the standard 256 MB and later decide to add new memory, you can take your Mac mini to an Apple Store or ship your machine in for service. Or you can perform the upgrade yourself, provided you're willing to use two thin-bladed paint scrapers to open the case (possibly voiding your warranty as well as damaging the case). I strongly recommend avoiding all of these upgrade-later scenarios, however, and just buying enough memory in the first place. (If you must do it yourself, you can Google the instructions for opening a Mac mini, but I won't take responsibility for what you do to your computer with the paint scrapers, okay?)
Apple also offers a 1 GB memory upgrade, currently $325. While I am sure a "gig" of memory would improve overall performance, it also makes the Mac mini too expensive for many would-be owners. If you think you need this much memory, you can buy it from a non-Apple source and either install it yourself or pay someone else to install it for you.
My recommendation: Purchase your Mac mini with an extra 256 MB of memory, for 512 MB total. This amount—512 MB—is fine, and 1 GB seems like overkill to me.
Which optical drive?
The stock drive in the Mac mini is what Apple calls a Combo drive. This drive lets you play DVDs and play or record CDs. For $100, you can upgrade to a SuperDrive, which allows you to write DVDs and CDs as well as read them. If you want to create home videos that can be shown on consumer DVD players, you need this upgrade.
You might also want the SuperDrive because it allows you to back up data onto a DVD disc—handy considering that each disc can hold about 4.4 GB of data. This is how I keep a copy of all my iTunes music and digital photographs, using the Backup software you can download as part of a .Mac membership.
You can also back up to an external hard drive or even an iPod if you like. I carry some of my most important files around on a 20 GB iPod as well as a 1 GB iPod shuffle.
My recommendation: Get the SuperDrive. It makes DVDs of your home movies and provides data insurance—what's not to like? (But the insurance exists only if you actually use the drive to back up your data. Refer to Chapter 7 for more information on protecting your Mac mini.)
How will you connect?
The Mac mini includes a 56K v.92 dial-up modem and an Ethernet port. The modem is used for a dial-up Internet connection, and the Ethernet port can link the Mac mini to a wired network or a cable or DSL broadband modem.
These are all fine if you want to connect only one computer at a time to the Internet and the Mac mini is located near a telephone outlet for dial-up/DSL access or a cable outlet for a cable modem.
In Chapter 5, I explain in detail why you should set up a wireless network built around an Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station. But to do that, you'll want to buy your Mac mini with an AirPort Extreme wireless card installed. This card is compatible with almost all 802.11b, 802.11g, and Wi-Fi networks. (I say "almost" because journalistic caution keeps me from saying "all," even though I have not run into network incompatibility in several years.)
The AirPort Extreme card adds $79 to the cost of the Mac mini. Unless you are sure you'll never have a wireless network, this is an upgrade I recommend.
Another wireless option is Bluetooth, used to connect the Mac mini to the Apple wireless keyboard and mouse as well as to some cellular telephones and other devices. Bluetooth adds $50, but a combined AirPort Extreme/Bluetooth package is $99. The Apple wireless keyboard and mouse combo costs $99.
If you aren't buying the AirPort Extreme card and don't have a very specific reason, I'd skip Bluetooth as well. If, however, you're following my recommendation and buying the AirPort card, then $20 for Bluetooth seems fair enough. One of these days, Bluetooth will actually do useful things, and for a mere $20 you'll be ready. Such a deal.
My recommendation: If you know you'll never have a wireless network, save your money. If you think you might go wireless someday, buy the AirPort Extreme card. If you might also want Bluetooth, buy it along with the AirPort Extreme card.
Need a keyboard and mouse?
The official reason Apple gives for not including a keyboard and mouse with the Mac mini is to allow you to use input and pointing devices you already own. That it happens to save everyone money is good news for both Apple and the customer.
The happiest situation is for a Mac mini purchaser to already own a USB mouse and keyboard. Less good, but acceptable, are devices with PS/2 connectors, which is what most people already own.
This book has an entire chapter about keyboards, displays, and mice and how you can share them between a Mac mini and one or more Windows PCs. If you are sharing, I don't recommend an Apple mouse, which has only one button instead of the two or three more common on today's PC mice.
My recommendation: Don't buy a keyboard or mouse from Apple right away. Make sure, however, that you either own a USB mouse and keyboard or purchase a PS/2-to-USB adapter so your PS/2 mouse and keyboard can be connected to the Mac mini. And read Chapter 4.
Buy a new display?
If you don't already have a display you want to use, I don't know why you'd be buying a Mac mini. The same chapter that talks about sharing a keyboard and mouse (Chapter 4) also talks about displays. The Mac mini is quite ecumenical in the displays it supports, which range from standard VGA computer monitors to some of the latest HDTV displays.
My recommendation: Use whatever display you already own and replace it when you feel the need.
Need an extended warranty?
I generally consider extended warranties a bad deal. That doesn't mean I haven't bought one—but only one, and it was for an expensive Dell machine. The cost of the Dell plan, however, wasn't nearly as large a percentage of the cost of the hardware it protects as what Apple wants for its extended warranty.
For $149, AppleCare extends the basic 90-day software/1-year hardware warranty to 3 years for both. The extended warranty also covers your Apple-branded software and operating system. In independent surveys, Apple gets good marks for the support it provides.
Still, we're talking about a $149 extended warranty for a computer that, depending on how it's equipped, costs anywhere from $499 to $1,100. I have a hard time recommending a $149 warranty on a $499 computer. However, if you need hand-holding, Apple is happy to provide it at a price that is a lot less than what you would pay on a per-hour or per-call basis.
My recommendation: Apple hardware is well constructed, and if it doesn't blow up in the first year, it will probably make it three years. But if you are uncomfortable with computers or just feel you need access to extended support, don't let me talk you out of it. This is your call.
Also see what I have to say about Apple ProCare in the discussion of Apple's retail stores, later in this chapter.


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Memorial Day Statement: Honor Our Heroes By Ending Afghan WarFriday, May 27th, 2011
Chip Forrester, Chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, issued the following statement in commemoration of Memorial Day Weekend:
As we pay respects to those who have died in pursuit of preserving this great nation — from the Revolution to the Civil War and forward — let us honor these fallen soldiers and their heroic efforts to protect freedom by resolving to end the war in Afghanistan.
With the killing of Osama bin Laden fresh in our minds, there is no better tribute to the 1,500 soldiers slain over the last decade in Afghanistan than to hasten President Barack Obama's troop withdrawal plan and start bringing home those legions of brave men and women.
We should never forget the sacrifices of our American servicemen and women. This Memorial Day, we should honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice by remembering and supporting fully the new generation of warriors and veterans who have served this country fighting for the same cause.
The Hill: U.S. House narrowly defeats effort to scale down Afghan war in close 204-215 vote. [The Hill, 5/26/11]
Bipartisan Tennessee delegation, consisting of Democratic Reps. Jim Cooper, Steve Cohen and Republican Rep. Jimmy Duncan, vote to end Afghan war. [U.S. House Clerk roll call, 5/26/11]


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Hi everyone-
I am a teacher, and I just was notified that my school is closing and I'll be losing my job as of this June. So Lego is definitely out for me as of right ow. I have a bunch of stuff I'm looking to sell- I'm going to start here and probably list more stuff if my time of unemployment gets extended.
Please offer what you think is fair. I dont want to rip anyone off- I just need some cash to pay the bills.
6 Forest Maidens
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/b ... 8977fa.jpg
4 Aztecs
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/b ... 0180bd.jpg
2 Conquistadors left
CM8 American Footballer- 11x
7079 Drawbridge Defense- Complete set and instructions, no minifigures included.
7094 Kings Castle Siege- Complete set and instructions, no minifigures included.
My wants:
Blackbeard (1x)
Egyptian khopesh swords
Egyptian Scarab shields
CM2 Spartan, Pharoah
CM4 Viking
CM5 Cavewoman, Egyptian Queen
CM6 Roman, Highland Battler, Minotaur (1x)
CM7 Jungle Boy, Ocean King (1x), Viking Woman


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Bringing green into the world's metropolises – especially the fast grown megacities in Asia seem to meet this challenge.
Namba Parks, located in Osaka, Japan, was named as one of four outstanding developments selected as a winner of the Urban Land Institute's (ULI) 2009 Awards of Excellence: Asia Pacific competition.
Designed by The Jerde Partnership, Namba Parks sits adjacent to the Namba train station. It was conceived as a natural amenity in the city, literally an urban jungle, offering a sloping rooftop park that is bifurcated by a sinuous, open-air "canyon" path that reinforces the connection with nature while forming the primary circulation pattern.
Namba forms a dramatic new identity for the city. Alongside a 30-storey office tower and 46-storey residential tower, the project features a new lifestyle commercial center with a rooftop park that crosses multiple blocks while gradually ascending eight levels from the streets of the city. The sloping nature of the park serves as a green and highly visible oasis in a city where nature is sparse. By connecting to the street, the sloping park plane will draw people up and into the project among groves of trees, green spaces, water features and outdoor terraces, where they can dine, read, socialize, or simply taking in views of the city.
more information at World Architecture News


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After T-Mobile started rolling out the multi-view multitasking update for the Galaxy Note 2, it is now time for the AT&T Note 2 owners to enjoy the update. AT&T is the only major carrier that has not yet rolled out the multi-view update for the Galaxy Note 2 in the United States. Verizon's Note 2 shipped with the feature out of the box, while Sprint and T-Mobile rolled out a software update to enable the feature.
Below is the full statement from AT&T regarding the software update -:
AT&T plans to begin rolling out a software update for Samsung Galaxy Note II customers that includes the Multi-Window feature, which allows the user to divide the screen into two active "windows" creating a split screen that enables fluid multitasking between applications. The update will be available for download over the air beginning Dec. 27.
AT&T confirmed the news about the roll-out in an email to none other than Engadget themselves. The update will be rolled out via OTA and in batches so don't get impatient if you don't get the update tomorrow.


text: I have just finished learning the very basics of C++ and now I am lost. I want to utilize the power C++ now. So I'd like to know what should I do next? I have got the fundamentals down. Now I plan to create something more than plain command-line programs -- I want to create GUI programs. But before doing that I want your guidance on what I should be doing / learning now that I have a very good understading of C++ basics and fundamentals.


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To my Grandmother; I'd wish to make something better for her, one day. But I've always been enchanted with her choice to stay, despite everything, she stays in her home, and intends to die there and nowhere else. That is a beauty I cannot yet capture.
But one day, Avó, one day.
She wasn't taught to read nor write, so I know my greatest communication isn't adequate for her. But, growing up by her side, I knew to communicate differently; with truly firm hugs, and the trémule of one's voice, the pulse of a touch — all truly worth saying, dispenses words, as it lives above, purely in the senses.
She will never read my poems, but she knew them before anyone did. She knew them, even those I do not yet know.


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The Oregon Ducks won the College Basketball Invitational tournament (presented by Zebra Pen) last night. The CBI's "history page" goes all the way back to 2008 and notes how VCU won it last year.
Anyway, Oregon's 71-69 victory over Creighton last night sounded rather hinkey. The game was tied at 69 with 17 seconds left. Then, a nuance of Oregon's new $227 million arena pretty much decided things.
Only a very thin line - two of them, actually, running parallel to each other down the middle of the court - separated these two teams. That's the line that Creighton guard Antoine Young unknowingly stepped over, for an over-and-back call that gave the ball to Oregon in the final seconds.
Then, Oregon's E.J. Singler's bank shot with two seconds left decided the game.
"This is a beautiful building, a great atmosphere,'' Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. "You just wish there was a visible halfcourt line. That's unfortunate, a tough way to lose a game."
Ducks win CBI title, with some home-court help [The Oregonian]
Men's Basketball Falls, 71-69, In Final Seconds of CBI Finals [Go Creighton]


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Location: Yakima / Washington
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay: TBD/year
Job description
Job Description:Sales & Administration (Clerical & Sales Support)
The Sales & Administration position is responsible for performing Administration duties related to store accounting and operations, assisting in the sales of tires and wheels to customers, providing excellent customer service and completing work according to company policies, procedures, and the Code of Conduct.Primary Responsibilities:
Greeting customers; discussing customer needs and answering questions related to merchandise, vehicle repairs, and other issues; providing product and service quotes and referring customers to other qualified employees as necessary. Assists in store accounting and bookkeeping procedures; assists in the administration of Les Schwab credit program; assists with store inventory; and picking up merchandise and parts as required. Provides excellent customer service; promotes store sales; asks questions to identify customer wants and needs; refers customers to other qualified employees as necessary.Experience:
Les Schwab offers opportunities for a variety of skills, with on-the job training.Qualifications:
High School diploma or equivalent; valid driver's license; excellent customer service skills and the ability to work in a rapid pace environment; occasional lifting up to 20 pounds; continuous standing and walking.
By submitting your interest in this job, you agree to receive text notifications with additional steps to complete your job application. You will receive up to 6 messages from the number "63879". Message & data rates may apply. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information.
About company
Not interested?


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DreamWorks Making 'Troll Dolls' Movies No One Asked For
Just like opening a present on your birthday only to discover a brightly-haired, gemstone-adorned little Troll Doll that you didn't want or ask for, DreamWorks is gifting us with a Troll Doll movie.
According to THR, someone at DreamWorks went into their attic and dusted off an old box of toys, but since every other relic of our collective childhood is pretty much already in development as a movie or TV show, all that's left is the lowly Troll Doll -- the totem of what to buy a child of the 60s (and later, the 90s, when Troll Dolls experienced a brief comeback) when you had no idea what else to buy them.
This is starting to sound like a metaphor for the lack of creativity in Hollywood -- they have no idea what else to give us, so Troll Dolls for everyone! Shawn Dennis, the mastermind behind the popularity of the American Girl dolls, has been tasked with revamping the Troll Dolls for a movie franchise and television series... and eventually backpacks, iPhone apps, accessories, and maybe even a lava lamp because why not.
The Troll Dolls were invented in 1959 by a Danish fisherman and woodcutter named Thomas Dam, who carved a little troll doll out of wood for a little girl. Legend has it, he had no idea what else to get for her birthday, and so a tradition was born. Maybe if we all dig out our old Troll Dolls and wish really hard on their little belly gems, we can make this DreamWorks idea un-happen.


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i cannot count how many variations i have subjected this shotty to. the last trick was to install a k model gas block. AFTER i got the thing, everyone i asked said you MUSt relocate the gas ports, use a specific carrier and puck. i started to get a bit miffed, but told myself "its just a freakin gas block"! so i started this.
the major hurdle was getting the gas tube to mate to the block. i came up with an adapter and had a friend turn this. i left enough meat to trim as i needed. somewhere along the line i tried to see if i could run without the puck. no luck with that so i moved along.
one things were situated, a few trips to the range were made to test, trim, test, drill etc. ended up needing to hog out the gas port in the block to clear the ports in the barrel, but finally got it to cycle walmart bulk.
i also wanted a standard ak hand guard and discovered the yugo rpk retainer fits with a very slight sanding of the barrel. it is as clean of an install as i have seen anywhere.
added a new rear sight that began as a ar flip buis. cut the BS off the bottom and tacked it on the cover


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- Mazon Creek Jellyfish Nodule
- Essexella asherae
- Pennsylvanian Age
- Carbondale Formation
- Coal City, Illinois
- Specimen measures approx. 2 1/8″ long
The Mazon Creek fossil beds are a conservation lagerstätte found near Morris, in Grundy County, Illinois. The fossils are preserved in ironstone concretions, formed approximately 300 million years ago in the mid-Pennsylvanian epoch of the Carboniferous period. These concretions frequently preserve both hard and soft tissues of animal and plant materials, as well as many soft-bodied organisms that do not normally fossilize. The quality, quantity and diversity of fossils in the area, known since the mid-nineteenth century, make the Mazon Creek lagerstätte important to paleontologists, in attempting to reconstruct the paleoecology of the sites. The Mazon Creek fossils are found in the Upper Carboniferous Francis Creek Shale; the type locality is the Mazon River (or Mazon Creek), a tributary of the Illinois River near Morris, Grundy County, Illinois. The 25 to 30 meters of shale were formed approximately 300 million years ago, during the Pennsylvanian period. The fossiliferous concretions are usually found within the thickest deposits of Francis Creek. The concretions occur in localized deposits within the silty to sandy mudstones, in the lower four metres of the formation. The paleoecosystem is believed to be a large river delta system, deposited by at least one major river system flowing from the northeast. The sediments are believed to derive from the Appalachian orogeny events. The delta had a tropical climate, a result of the area being within 10° north latitude of the equator during the Pennsylvanian. The remains of plants and animals were rapidly buried by the sediment deposited in the deltaic system. Bacterial decomposition of the remains produced carbon dioxide that combined with dissolved iron from the groundwater. This process formed siderite in the sediments surrounding the remains, forming detailed casts of their structure. Lithification of the sediments formed protective nodules of ironstone around the now fossilized remains. This mode of preservation is known as authigenic mineralisation.


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Event attendee status notifications just got better with this new pop-up that we have implemented. When you invite people, they will get the event details and status options on a pop-up on their calendar. The conventional email invitation too will be sent.
Clicking on the status, the attendees can notify you of their availability. Every time your invitees update or modify their availability status, you will be notified by the same pop-up.
In addition to the status, we have included a chat link on both pop-ups.
Initially, when invited, all the attendees will receive an invitation email. From the email they would be linked to accept and deny options.
Non-Zoho users can view, update and track RSVP using the web URL provided in the email.


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I returned a few weeks ago to Dallas from Philadelphia, where I had been attending the Opera America Board meeting and annual conference. Having been to a number of these conferences over the years, I would describe the mood of my fellow opera leaders as more somber than usual. It is quite clear that the lingering economic recession, limited stock market growth over the past decade, and profound changes in how audiences are spending their entertainment dollar are weighing heavily on many opera companies across the United States.
In one panel discussion, a number of companies presented their strategies for how they are doing more with fewer resources, and an important new concept emerged. Several of us spoke about the need to maximize our "community footprint"—a term that captures not just the opera's mainstage and chamber opera performances, but the company's total impact on the community. I believe that this measure is extremely important and will become more so, over time.
As I described in a recent Off the Cuff column, opera economics are becoming increasingly dependent on donations and endowment draw, rather than ticket sales. Whereas a generation ago it was quite typical for two-thirds of an opera company's budget to come from ticket sales, and the remainder from endowment draw and annual fundraising, now the tables have turned; it is not uncommon for opera companies to receive up to 65-75 percent of their operating support from annual giving and endowment draw. For a chamber opera series, the fundraising requirement may be as high as 80 percent of total expense, although the absolute dollar amount that needs to be raised is often far less.
While this balance of contributed income and ticket sales for opera companies may be the "new normal," it is certainly scary. As a distinguished venture capitalist friend of mine, and former chair of a major America opera company, once put it: "if anyone had ever pitched me this as an idea for a new business, I would never have invested in it."
This shift in economics has not only made a major change to the operating model of a modern opera company (for example, in the size and experience level of the Development staff), it has also transformed the mission of many companies as well. In a world where donations and endowment draw account for as much as three-quarters of the annual revenue, I believe that opera companies must earn the right to rely on this level of public support by maximizing their community footprint. And, like many executives, I believe that measurement drives organizational behavior very powerfully, so that it is important for opera companies to measure this impact rigorously.
Recognizing that each opera company will define its footprint in its own way, we include three primary elements in the definition of TDO's community footprint. The first is our core product, which is mainstage and chamber opera. Without performing operas at the highest possible level of artistic quality, we are simply not a successful opera company. The second area, which builds upon the first, is music, theater and opera education for children, teenagers, college students, and adults. The third area is community events, which includes free public simulcasts, free or deeply discounted public concerts, and the like.
In keeping with this philosophy, we have adapted TDO's "mix" considerably over the last two seasons. For the 2011-2012 season which just ended, TDO presented the following community touch points:
- Opera Performances: TDO provided approximately 44,000 tickets, both subscription and single tickets (some full-price and some discounted) for performances in the Winspear Opera House and the Wyly Theater.
- Free Public Simulcasts: TDO reached roughly 16,000 simulcast patrons, spread across an opening night simulcast of Lucia di Lammermoor conducted adjacent to the Winspear Opera House, and the dramatic Cowboys Stadium simulcast later that same season. These captured a much broader range of demographics (e.g. income, ethnicity) than typical single ticket buyers, let alone subscribers.
- Education Programs: Lastly, TDO made approximately 25,000 student contacts, more than double the figure from the previous year. These programs help to encourage future generations of opera goers and supplement school and university programs. They also provide exposure for exciting young performers and aspiring arts administrators on a highly cost effective basis.
In round numbers, this distribution of touch points works out to around 50 percent of total contacts made in an opera house or theater, another 20 percent through free public simulcasts, and an additional 30 percent of all contacts through various educational activities. While every organization must decide its optimum balance for immediate impact as well as the potential for future growth, this distribution fits with our strategic goals for the company—although we hope to boost simulcast attendance still further in seasons to come.
As I noted in an earlier "Off the Cuff" on Audience Development, it is relatively easy to build consensus with boards, donors and supporters around what type of audience we should aspire to develop. The ideal new audience would be young, multi-ethnic, and fully representative of the broader community. It would be equally open to new operatic and cultural experiences as well as to performances of the staples of the operatic repertoire. It would also be willing to support the opera with regular ticket sales (in particular, subscription sales), enthusiastic word of mouth and social media promotion, and significant financial contributions.
Anyone who has read these postings knows that I am passionate about the impact of free public simulcasts, and the impact that they can have on audience development. They have been presented by London's Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, by the Houston Grand Opera, and by the San Francisco Opera in both Civic Center and San Francisco's baseball stadium, known as AT&T Park. They have also been presented by Seattle Opera, the Metropolitan Opera in New York's Times Square, and the Washington National Opera in the Washington Nationals stadium. These simulcasts, and others, have attracted a younger and more diverse audience than typically attends performances in person, even in the inexpensive seats. And, as many readers know, The Dallas Opera presented a simulcast of Mozart's Magic Flute this past April. Underwritten by The Dallas Foundation, the event drew an estimated crowd of 15,000.
TDO recently conducted an electronic survey of its simulcast patrons, with parallel surveys sent to our subscribers and recent single ticket buyers. While the demographics of the simulcast patrons do not yet fit all of the criteria for the ideal new audience, they do represent many of the key elements. Based on these surveys, 6 percent of opera subscribers earn under $40,000 per year; by contrast, 20 percent of simulcast patrons have household incomes in that range. While around one-third (34 percent) of opera subscribers earn less than $90,000 per year, around two-thirds (66 percent) of simulcast patrons do. And, at the high end of the income scale, while nearly half of TDO subscribers earn over $125,000 per year, only 14 percent of our simulcast patrons earn at this level. All of these statistics point to the ability of a simulcast to draw an audience from a wider cross-section of the community.
The TDO simulcast also attracted a more diverse and representative mix of ethnic backgrounds. TDO, like many performing arts organizations across the country, is working hard to attract a truly diverse audience. Based on this survey, TDO's typical subscriber audience is around 90 percent Caucasian, and our single ticket buyers are around 80 percent. This is better than some classical music organizations across the country but, frankly, it's still not good enough. TDO's simulcast patrons, by happy contrast, were a much more diverse crowd. Simulcast attendees were around two-thirds (68 percent) Caucasian. While Latinos and Hispanics make up only 5 percent of subscribers and 10 percent of single ticket buyers, they represented an impressive 15 percent of the simulcast attendees. African-Americans jumped from 2 percent of subscribers to 8 percent of simulcast patrons, and Asian Americans who constituted around 1 percent of subscribers made up 6 percent of simulcast patrons.
Admittedly, the survey data is rough, and we had to rely on survey respondents to self-identify age, income and ethnic background. But for me, these statistics point to the importance of this type of community outreach.
One key issue to consider is whether simulcasts have a direct economic return as a stand-alone project. In 2006, Kenneth Feinberg, then the President of Washington National Opera noted, "There's a central question here—and it is not only a question in Washington but in New York and San Francisco and in all the great opera companies. Will these new technology initiatives raise revenue, or is revenue not the primary goal?" While the jury is still out on this question for many opera companies, San Francisco Opera has recently pointed to a direct return on its simulcast investment in ticket sales. My own view is that while these types of performances are typically not moneymakers when viewed on a narrow return-on-investment basis, they remove opera from its pedestal, build future audiences and secure vital community support—particularly important in a world where donations make up such a large proportion of total operating budgets. At TDO, we are already beginning to invite simulcast patrons to free summer events, and, as time passes and we track conversion of simulcast attendees to single ticket buyers (and, hopefully, subscribers), we will be able to answer this question for ourselves. In the meantime, the simulcasts and expanded education programs make powerful additions to TDO's changing community footprint, giving us the chance to make our mark on successive generations of audiences while constructing a broader-based foundation of future support for the arts in DFW.
By anybody's yardstick, that's what we call a "win-win."
◊ Keith Cerny is the General Director and CEO of The Dallas Opera. His column "Off the Cuff" appears every month in TheaterJones.com. His first column can be seen here, the second is here, third here and fourth here, the fifth here and sixth here.


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It's like this. Four months ago I was stolen and taken to the moon where I was held incommunicado for two months then dropped back home and spent a couple more months confused and learning to breathe the air again. The aliens assaulted me and left me with a long mark down my chest which must surely be a branding scar they leave on their earthling prisoners.
So I have lived my life through One News at six. That has been my window on the world.
I loved the Olympic Games and their opening and closing ceremonies. The British might not have been able to afford the scale of the Chinese fireworks we saw at Beijing, but they brought intelligence to the events. We forget how much of modern popular culture emanates from the British. What other country could have had Paul McCartney wrapping up the opening ceremony with Hey Jude?
And I loved the justice London did to the Paralympics. The opening ceremony was stunning. I went to the kitchen bench to make a cup of tea. Suddenly there is the voice of David Bowie screaming out Heroes. I looked up. The song marked the entry of the British team. That was a glorious moment, the huge British team of athletes with disabilities entering that magnificent stadium to the joy of their own people. Well done, London, I thought, and again I marvelled at how far the Paralympics have come.
It's been the year of the UK. I loved all that Diamond Jubilee stuff. There was a programme I saw in which Prince Charles showed us the family's old home movies. He's a funny old duffer, Charles, but in his own way he was charming and informal. And there was wonderful footage of the royal yacht delivering the Queen and the Duke home to London after their seven-month tour of the Empire, sorry Commonwealth, after she became queen. Britannia was mighty once, no doubt about it, but the Olympics and the presence of that amazing royal family with its ability to reinvent itself showed how British might is still there. It has simply evolved. Britain is still a land of ideas.
And Valerie got cheated out of a gold medal by a woman who was clearly a man and had the appearance of an old style East European dope-taker if ever we saw one. Ostapchuk's tears at the medal presentation are incredible to see since she was exposed as a cheat. And Val got her medal. I'm glad they broadcast it live. It was nothing more than she deserved.
I'm loath to admit it but somewhere along the track recently I started to regard the expressions of dissatisfaction coming out of Christchurch as whingeing. God forbid that I did, but I did. Every night there it was, the moaning about Cera or about Brownlee.
Brownlee must have felt a similar sentiment to mind building within his ample self because he erupted, denouncing the comments of some Christchurch people who had nothing to do all day but buggerise round on Facebook.
You could understand his frustration. So much is being done, some of the decisions being made are grotesquely difficult. But it must have been a miserable winter in the city. I saw a piece one night about two solo mums living with their kids in leaking, condensation-cursed caravans in a park somewhere in the city. This was cold, wet, serious stuff.
So Brownlee let fly. Next thing we're reading of a Christchurch woman in the Red Zone, Sue Holmes (no relation), who says she hates only two men, Gerry Brownlee and her ex-husband. Gerry wisely pulled back.
But now the government has taken Christchurch on with school closures and mergers. This has provoked the inevitable teacher-led revolt and a long scroll has been produced on which the children have placed their handprints. The teachers think the scroll is a wonderful idea and the smiles on their faces were beatific. I think the scroll is nuts.
But on the whole, I see the world hasn't changed. One crappy little film about Muhammad and across the world of Islam they're shouting death to America again. This time, thank God, there are educated, rational Islamic voices denouncing the hateful violence of the mobs.
But back to the royals. Prince Harry did well during the year, then went and unwound in Las Vegas with unworthy people and too many naughty girls and his willy hanging out. And Kate, who is a super star, was photographed without a bikini top. As Joan Rivers says, there hasn't been this much fuss over a topless royal since they beheaded Anne Boleyn.
Anyway, I'm back on the Newstalk ZB this morning. Well and truly, I hope, back from the moon.


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First, Congress considered the National Defense Authorization Act, sections of which gave the President the authority to use the military to arrest and indefinitely detain Americans without trial or charge. The language was revised because of strong condemnation from the American people. But now a new bill has emerged that poses yet another threat to the American citizenry.
Congress is considering HR 3166 and S. 1698 also known as the Enemy Expatriation Act, sponsored by Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Charles Dent (R-PA). This bill would give the US government the power to strip Americans of their citizenship without being convicted of being "hostile" against the United States. In other words, you can be stripped of your nationality for "engaging in, or purposefully and materially supporting, hostilities against the United States." Legally, the term "hostilities" means any conflict subject to the laws of war but considering the fact that the War on Terror is a little ambiguous and encompassing, any action could be labeled as supporting terrorism. Since the Occupy movement began, conservatives have been trying to paint the protesters as terrorists.
The new law would change a part of US Code 1481 which can be read in full here. Compare 3166 to 1481 and the change is small. The new section makes no reference to being convicted as it does in section (7). So even though the language of the NDAA has been revised to exclude American citizens, the US government merely has to strip Americans of their citizenship and the NDAA will apply. And they will be able to do so without convicting the accused in a court of law.
I hope I'm wrong, but it sounds to me like this is a loophole for indefinitely detaining Americans. Once again, you just have to be accused of supporting hostilities which could be defined any way the government sees fit. Then the government can strip your citizenship and apply the indefinite detention section of the NDAA without the benefit of a trial. This certainly must be questioned by American citizens. The way these defense obsessed Republicans think, our rights are always in danger of being taken away.
To read the full text of the bill, go here.


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Defence Minister Peter MacKay took pains to emphasize the government's commitment to spending no more than $9 billion on the purchase of new multi-role jets.
But the accounting firm KPMG noted that National Defence has not built in enough contingency funds to account for the wild swings in sticker price of the radar-evading plane.
The skimpy financial cushion puts the government on a collision course with the air force, which has used a series of reports to underlined the fact that it needs 65 fighters to fulfil everything the government expects of it.
Under the current cost equation, National Defence estimates will spend $8.3 billion to buy the jets and has $660 million in reserve, but KPMG says uncertainties in the program mean the contingency should be more like $2.5 billion.
That would be $1.9 billion over the government's cast-in-stone figure.
MacKay and senior government officials insisted they can get the jets they want within the budget envelope.
"The estimate of $9 billion stands," MacKay said. "It's been sound."
The other alternative would be to slash the number of planes and that is the alternative the air force is expecting swallow, according to its annual update written on Nov. 26, 2012.
"DND has advised that their risk mitigation strategy for acquisition costs, to remain within a $9 billion ceiling, is to reduce the number of aircraft acquired," said the KPMG analysis.
"As a result, based on their own calculations of potential contingency required, this could reduce the initial fleet to as low as 55 aircraft, which is below DND's current stated requirement."
Yet, the air force's ability to defend the nation's skies and operate overseas at the same time would be in peril if the Harper government buys fewer stealth fighters than planned, a series of previously-released internal air force documents have said.
Paul Maillet, a retired air force colonel who worked on the CF-18 purchase in the 1980s, said the KPMG report demonstrates that $9 billion will clearly not suffice if the government wants to buy F-35s and cheaper alternatives will have to be explored.
"We're not a superpower like the U.S. and Britain," said Maillet. "This may be the golden bridge the government was looking for in some ways. How to get out of this? And now they have something that at one level is going to help."
Defence and Public Works officials say competitors to the F-35, including Boeing' Super Hornet and the European-built Eurofighter, will be asked for pricing and other details about what they can offer.
But they emphasized the Lockheed Martin-built F-35 is still in the running and no decision has been made on a procurement strategy. The statement stops just short of taking the country into a full-blown competition, which is what opposition parties and critics have been demanding for two years.
"The next step is a full review of options," Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose told a news conference following the release of the report, which came after a question period
Both MacKay and Ambrose went to lengths to repeat the government's catchphrase that it was "hitting the reset button" on the troubled program.
The KPMG report confirmed leaks last week that "cradle to the grave" price tag would be $45.8 billion over 42 years.
The figures have fluctuated wildly, partly because of the way National Defence, the auditor general and KPMG have crunched their numbers. But with looming defence budget cuts in the U.S., experts have warned the overall price tag could go even higher.
The deputy minister in charge of the Public Works secretariat overseeing the troubled program dismissed the U.S. fiscal cliff warnings, saying it's too soon to speculate what impact it might have.
MacKay said the government would ensure "that balance is maintained between the military needs and taxpayer interests."
"Ultimately, our government will get the best plane for the armed forces, for our pilots and for Canadian taxpayers."
The NDP's opposition critics were unmoved, however, insisting the government was steadfastly refusing to admit the whole process has been fumbled.
"You can't move on, you can't move forward until you've admitted that you've got a problem and that you've made mistakes,"said Matthew Kellway, the party's procurement critic.
"What we've heard today is that the minimum price for this plane is three times higher than anything that this government has publicly disclosed to date. That's tens of billions of dollars higher.
"What we haven't heard today is what we wanted to hear, that there will be an open competition for a replacement for the CF-18."
Also on HuffPost


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Baltimore police have identified a 55-year-old woman found stabbed inside her home in Pigtown and said a man who was driven to the hospital by a friend after being shot in Southwest Baltimore has died from his injuries.
Deborah Simon was found by relatives inside a home in the 1200 block of Washington Blvd. on Monday afternoon, and police said she had been stabbed several times. Property was taken from the home, and detectives are exploring whether she might have known her attacker.
According to neighbor Erin Harty, Simon had moved to the home from around the corner, after a mid-August fire badly damaged her home in the 1400 block of S. Carey St. Harty said Simon was working at a nearby Royal Farms while going to school.
"She was extremely friendly, and all the neighbors knew her well," Harty said. "She was extremely outgoing, and very political."
Simon was active in homeless outreach, Harty said, driving around the neighborhood to deliver peanut butter sandwiches, and once sought to run for Congress. She maintained an active political blog, posting up until Saturday.
She was a widow and had one daughter, according to a biography on her website.
Police were also investigating the shooting death of Joshua Noble, a 25-year-old from the 500 block of S. Longwood St. Noble was driven to Saint Agnes Hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to the stomach, and was transferred to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he died at about 1:50 a.m. Tuesday.
Detectives were told that Noble and a friend were sitting in a parked vehicle in the 3000 block of Frederick Ave., south of Mount Olive Cemetery in Southwest Baltimore, when an unknown man walked up to the car and fired several rounds from a handgun into the passenger side where Noble was seated.
Police did not give a motive. Noble received a 15-year prison sentence, with all but 10 years suspended, in 2007 in Baltimore County after being convicted of robbery, court records show. In November 2011, he was charged in Baltimore County with attempted first-degree murder and use of a firearm in a violent crime, but all charges were dropped in May by county prosecutors.
The killings push the city's number of homicides in 2011 up to 189. Three men were killed in Baltimore over the weekend, and a man was in critical condition after a downtown beating.


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That Eric Springs certainly had a trick up his sleeve this year! "Mrs. Springs, please come to the office." (Oh, no! I've been busted!) "You have a Valentine delivery." (Wahoo...and all the kiddies get to see it.) Eric also BROUGHT TO MY CLASSROOM DOOR earlier in the day a box of chocolate covered strawberries from Creative Kitchen...yummo!!!! It was so funny...he told me later that three 8th grade girls working in the class next door put him through an inquisition about his relationship to me. Apparently, the whole thing ended in secretive giggles. Oh, the world of junior high.
We ended the evening with a super romantic date for five at LaFiesta when neither of us managed to make it home in time to cook dinner. :0) We did run into some friends there, so it ended up being a semi-mediumish sized group, hangin' out in the back room of a Mexican restaurant for V-Day. Good times...all good times!


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1971 CHEVELLE SS Avenue Street Sign.
Plasma Cut sign is 20" x 5" 20 Ga American Steel. Dye Sublimation printing is baked on for a permanent finish, indoors or out. This version is printed on one side for wall hanging. Additional colors will be available soon.
Double sided versions are in design process. I will have mounting hardware available for pole mounting.
Contact me to find out how to get YOUR car on a Street Sign: firstname.lastname@example.com


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The Highlands Nature Center is holding a series of summer nature camps for children from ages 4 to 14 with varying themes. Preregistration is required. For more information go to highlandsbiological.org/nature-center or contact 828.526.2623.
"WOW! – a World of Wonder" is for ages 4 to 6 and will be held from 10 a.m. to noon from June 5 to 8, from July 10 to 13 and from Aug. 7 to 10 for $55 per child. Children will learn nature games, hike, search for critters, and explore ponds and streams.
"Amazing Animals" is for ages 7 to 10 and will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from June 12 to 15 and from July 17 to 20 for $85 per child. Children will study different animal groups through hands-on activities and field observations.
"NatureWorks" is for ages 8 to 11 and will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from June 26 to 29 and from July 31 to Aug. 3 for $85 per child. Children will learn about the workings of Mother Nature through various interactive games and activities.
"Junior Ecologists" is for ages 11 to 14 and will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 19 to 22 for $120 per child. Children will discover what field biologists do as they conduct real science, both at the biological station and at various off-site locations in the Nantahala National Forest. They will study stream life, assess forest habitats, collect insects, examine salamander communities, perform bird counts, and inventory small mammals.
"Mountain Explorers" is for ages 10 to 13 and will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 24 to 27 for $120 per child. Students will travel off the beaten path to go on all-day hikes to a variety of off-site locations in the Nantahala National Forest. The group will observe nature and wildlife, keep field journals, learn to read maps, learn to use a compass and develop teamwork skills through trail activities.